Boston Red Sox CMO Talks AR, VR, And Major League Baseball

During an interview with Chief Marketer, Boston Red Sox CMO Adam Grossman spoke about augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and how both technologies are being integrated into the world of Major League Baseball:

“Look for increased adoption of AR/VR in sports—both inside the ballpark and out. We introduced the Red Sox Virtual Reality Dugout, MLB’s first virtual reality experience, at Fenway Park in 2016. Our program provides fans experiential access to behind-the-scenes 360-degree video from the perspective of players including batting box against a virtual pitcher by taking cuts in the batting cage.”

And here’s Adam on new and upcoming AR/VR initiatives:

“This season we integrated AR into our Fenway Park tour itinerary and employed the technology via several fan engagement initiatives, including a baseball card promotion and a Jackie Bradley Jr. bobblehead promotion where we invited fans to scan a custom code from the side of the bobblehead to unveil a unique, interactive digital experience redeemable through Major League Baseball’s Ballpark app. These initiatives have been very well received by fans, so we’ve enhanced the VR experience in each of the last three seasons and we plan to launch a more comprehensive VR/AR program next season.”

Delving further into the value of VR and AR, he explained that the “technologies’ experiential nature offers such a powerful platform for brands to immerse customers in their experience.” We wholeheartedly agree, and given the uniquely passionate nature of baseball/sports fans as a whole, any opportunity to bring them closer to the game by providing deeper and more meaningful engagements is a home run (pun very much intended).